Yarn carrier



March 10, 1942. FEUSTEL I 2,275,848 I YARN CARRIER Filed Feb. 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1942. L 2,275,848-

YARN CARRIER Filed Feb. 27, 1940 5- ShGGtS-ShGSt 2 March 10; 1942.

E; A. FEUS-TEL 2,275,848

YARN CARRIER Filed Feb. 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORQ March 10, 1942. Y a E. A. FEUSTEL 2,275,848

YARN CARRIER Filed Feb. 27. 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A A AA A K dJ INVENTOR. Ecrfi z v. TTORNEY.

Marcli 10, 1942.

YARN CARRIER Filed -Feb. 27, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet ,5

INVENTOR- E. A. FEUSTEL ,2 8 r Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES 2,275,848 YARN CARRIER. Ernest A. Feustel, Hasbrouck Heights, N. 3. Application February 27, 1940, Serial No. 321,012 I 8 Claims. (Cl. 66-126) The present invention relates to certain newand useful improvements in thread carriers of the general type shown in United States Patent No. 1,675,556 and in German Patent No. 643,290, wherein the thread guide tube which gives the final guidance to the thread is held between spring jaws formed in the discharge end of the carrier.

One of the objects of the present .invention is a thread carrier particularly for full-fashioned knitting machines which will be more efficient and easier to maintain and more dependable in operation and which will enable a quick replacement of tube right on machine (without loosening carrier at anchorage) when tube is either worn or cut" by the threads or when a different gauge tube should be injected when the size of the yarn is changed.

Another object of the present invention is to Provide a yarn carrier and tube therefor which. will be more efflcient for full-fashioned knitting machines, particularly for knitting relatively fine-gauge silk hosiery, and which will also more accurately control the thread, and which will permit the use of the same carrier with tubes of widely varying gauge.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear more fully from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, the present invention consists of a yarn carrier having the discharge end or the pay-out end thereof bent at an obtuse angle in the main body of the carrier and having the discharge or lower end of the carrier split or bifurcated longitudinallyinto a pair of juxtaposed spring-arms terminating in tube-gripping jaws, adapted to hold a tube frictionally or otherwise and having a thread-guiding tongue-like portion bridging the space between the two spring arms at the bend, so as to guide the thread or yarn over the bend generally within the confines of the carrier and so as to prevent the thread from interfering with the next adjacent carrier particularly in multicarrier operation of the full-fashioned knitting machines.

The present invention further consists of a certain novel construction in the tube-gripping jaws of the carrier and of a certain novel relationship between the latter and the yarn-guide tube supported thereby, whereby the same carriermay be fitted with tubes adapted for widely varying needle gauges, and whereby the tube may be both conveniently inserted and removed from between the tube-gripping jaws of the carrier'by axial movements entirely through the front end of the carrier.

The present invention further consists of other novel features and details of construction, all of which will appear more fully from the following detailed description.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can' be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings in'which like reference characters indicate like parts: I

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a yarn carrier embodying one form of the present invention, on a somewhat enlarged scale (approximately double actual size).

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view on line 2-'-2 of Figure 1, on generally the same scale.

Figure 2--a represents a more or less schematic view similar to Figure 2, with some of the fea-- tures slightly exaggerated better to illustrate the objectionable yarn obstruction at the bend of the carrier, which is overcome by one phase of the present invention.

- Figure 3 represents a fragmentary perspective view of the discharge end of the yarn carrier showing a modified embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 represents a fragmentary perspective view of the discharge end of the yarn carrier showing another form of the present invention,

which is the now preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of the key or wrench for spreading the jaws of the carrier for the insertion and removal of the tube through the front end of the carrier.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 66 of several forms of the invention embodiment of the present Figure 9 represents a fragmentary plan view,- on a much enlarged scale, of the front end of a yarn carrier embodying the present invention, but including shown in the other figures. I

Figure 10 represents a perspective view of the tube 28 on a somewhat enlarged scale, and with the tip partly broken away and shown in section.

, Figure 11 represents a cross-sectional view on line of Figure 9.

Figure 12 represents line |2--|2 of Figure a cross-sectional view on 6, of the now preferred invention.

Figure 13 represents .a section similar to that shown in Figures 2, '7 and 8, showing a further feature of construction applicable to the several forms of my invention shown in the drawings,

but here shown as applied particularly to the form of Figures 4, 8 and 12. 7

Figures 14 to 19 inclusive represent sectional views, on an enlarged scale of approximately twenty times actual size, of a series of six tubes 28,"of successively varying tip or pay-out end, for varying the gauges.v Of these, Figure 14 represents an entire tube in section, while Figures 15 to 19 inclusive are fragmentary portions of the pay-out end of the tube. Figure 17 also includes a fragmentary portion of the tube-gripping end of the yarn carrier of the present invention (of the form shown in Figures 4, 8 and 12), to show generally the relationship of the tube to the carrier. In these Figures 14 to 19 inclusive, an approximately true scale has been maintained in relation to length and diameter and tip reduction and wall thickness, although it is to be understood that there may be'a slight thickening of the wall thickness at the reduced portions, due to the diameter reduction.

.In Figures 20 to 24 inclusive, a further inventive feature is shown, which is applicable to any forms of the present invention shown in the foregoing drawings, wherein the shank portion or tip portion, or both portions of the tube 28 may be flattened slightly, or given an oval cross-section, with the major axis of the oval of the shank being parallel to the direction of travel of the carrier and with the major axis of the oval of the pay-out end of the tube being generally transversely or preferably at a right angle to the direction of travel oi the carrier;

Figure 20 is a plan view showing this additional inventive feature of the present invention;

.Figure 21 represents a cross-sectional view on line 2|--2| of Figure 20;

Figure 22 represents a cross-sectional view, on line 22-22 of Figure 20;

Figure 23 represents a perspective view, on a much enlarged'scale, of the tube shown inFigures 20 to 22 inclusive;

Figure 24 represents another perspective view of the tube shown in Figures 20 to 22 inclusive.

The carrier designated generally by the nu- -meral I8 is formed of a main body II and an upper anchorage portion |2 having suitable holes l3 for receiving the anchorage or fastening screws, bolts, or the like. The body is bent at an obtuse angle in the zone ll, through a slightly curved bend, although the arc of the bend may be varied from a small radius to a fairly large radius.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure l, a generally U-shaped slot l5 may be punched out of the relatively flat carrier body, either generanother feature applicable to the ally in the bend-zone ll, or more or less above said zone,'with the transverse or connecting part II of the generally U-shaped slot being disposed generally longitudinally of the carrier and with the legs I1 and I8 ,of the U-shaped slot being disposed generally transversely of the carrier; so as to leave a tongue-like portion I8 extending cro s-wise of the carrier and across the median plane thereof as indicated particularly in Figures 1 and2. The lower discharge end 28 of the carrier is bifurcated by means of the slot 2| so as to. form the two tube-gripping jaws 22 and 23, respectively. The juxtaposed faces ofthe jaws 22 and 23 are cylindrically dished as at 24 and 25, as for instance by running a drill between the jaws before they are thinned down, or by any other suitable machining operation, and preferably this cylindrical surfacing of the inner juxtaposed faces of the jaws 22 and 23 is stopped short at a point approximately at 28, so as to form -a slight shoulder 21 acting as an upper stop to limit the position of the tube 28. Up to the point 26 or shoulder 21 the slot 2| may be formed in the first instance by the drilling operation above mentioned. Thus, the drilling operation may be used to effect the initial separation or bifurcation of the jaws 22 and 23.

In between the slot 2| and tongue IS an opening '29 is punched out, preferably having juxtaposed fiat side walls 38 and 3|. Into this opening, the slightly flattened or cam-shaped end 32 of a key or wrench 33 may be inserted so that upon the turning of the handle34 of said key or wrench, the jaws 22 and 23 will be spread apart sufficiently to permit the easy insertion and removal of the tube 28 through the front end of the carrier. The cam-end 32 of the key or wrench 33 may be in the partly cylindrical form shown with two juxtaposed "flats; the distance between the flats being just slightly less than the distance between the surfaces 38 and 3| so as to permit the free insertion of the key-end 32 into the hole 29 with the "flats parallel to the surfaces 38 and 3|. The distance between the two curved or cylindrical surfaces of the key-end 32, or the diameter of the cylindrical portions is so selected that when these more widely spaced camming surfaces are brought into operative juxtaposition to the surfaces 30 and 3|, by turning the handle 34 ninety degrees, the jaws 22 and 23 will be spread just sumciently to release the tube 28, without however giving the jaws any permanent set in the spread condition.

The body of the carrier is preferably slightly channeled along its upper surface as at 35, along the median plane of the carrier, and the tongue I! is also preferably similarly channeled slightly as at 36, so as to give guidance to the thread 31 i jacent yarn-carrier beneath it in multi-carrieroperations.

In the form of construction indicated in Figure 3, a similar embodiment of the invention is shown, but instead of punching out a U-shaped slot, the metal is. merely fractured along a U- shaped line iS-a without actually punching out any metal along that line. This fracturing is done on a punch press but no metal is actually removed. Nevertheless the metal is separated along the U-shaped line sufiiciently to give resiliency to the jaws 22'and 23.

If desired, the U-shaped fracture line la may be extended along the lines l8a and l8b so as to increase the motion of to each other. 7 a

In Figures 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14, a form of construction is shown, which in some respects, may be the preferred embodiment of this phase of the present invention, in which the tongue I9-a is extended generally longitudinally of the carrier body instead of transversely as heretofore shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In this form of construction, the slotsll-c and l8-c which flank the tongue l9-a likewise extend longitudinally. It is to be understood that instead of punching out actual slots l'l-c and l8c, in this embodiment of my invention, the metal may be merely fractured along similar lines without the actual removal of any metal but nevertheless sufficiently to give the necessary freedom of motion to the 'jaws 22 and 23 requisite to their tubegripping resiliency The yarn carrier, particularly the discharge end 29 thereof constituted by the jaws 22 and 23, is suitably tempered for the desired resiliency and form-retaining qualities. The yarn carrier is preferably made out of steel but may be made out of any other suitable form-retaining material having the necessary resiliency.

The guide-channel Si? in the upper surface of the tongue or finger i9, and in the upper surface of the tongue or finger l3-a is preferably about one-half the depth of the thickness of the metal, although in the tongue or finger l9-a it may become shallower and finally vanish toward the upper end of the tongue or finger l9a.

The channel 36 may likewise-be partly bridged over or covered over, particularly near the lowermost part of the channel where the thread leaves it to pass across the key-opening 29, thereby to ensure against any accidental dislodgement of the thread from the channel. This may be done by riveting a generally U-shaped staple 50 across the channel 36 in the general manner indicated in Figure 9, with the legs of the staple passing through suitable holes adjacent the chan nel 3B, and being riveted fast therein. This bridging or-covering-over may also be accomplished in the general manner indicated in Figure 13, by stepping the channel 36 short of the the jaws relative annular grooves or spiral screw-threads is necessarily very' shallow because of the necessity for removingthe tube by spreading the jaws'apart very slightly. Such annular grooves or screwthreads may be either cut into the outer surface of the tube or preferably rolled into the outer surface 01 the tube either between suitable rollers or suitably ridged fiat members between which the tube may be rolled.

The thread-guide tube 28, is inserted into the carrier from the bottom thereof; that is, the tube-gripping jaws 22 and 23 are distended and the tube 28 slippedbetween. In old-type carriers, on the other hand, the thread-guiding tube' is inserted from the top, that is, downwardly or tangentially at the bend of the carrier or transversely by means of transverse pressure applied upon the tube to cause the carrier to spread sufiiciently to clear the outer periphery of the tube.

By reason of the arrangement of the tongue in' the bend zone Id of the carrier, not only is the thread 31 prevented from cutting across the bend in the path of a cord 6!, chafing of the thread is prevented. Thus, if the thread were permitted to cut across the bend along the line 4!, it would tend to rub against the corners of the metal at the points 39 and t0 and would tend to become chafed, scuifed and skived and thus impaired. By the present construction, these-hazards are minimized if not indeed eliminated.

It has been the practice in the use of spring- Jaw type carriers (just as with other carriers) to manufacture separate yarn carrier tubes for practically every different gauge machine. Thus, for 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54 and 57 gauge machines, separate yarn carrier tubes would be produced whose discharge openings would be dimensioned to fit theparticular gauge.

Thus, for instance, in going from a 39-gauge to a 42, 45, 48, 51, 54 or 57 gauge machine,-it was the practice to make the entire tube smaller and, as the tube became smaller, the carrier had to be changed to grip the smaller tube, because the spring-jaws were adapted to receive only one ,size tube shank. This not only required a valower end 5! of the tongue or finger l9-o, as for instance at the point 52, and then drilling a hole 53 between the points 5! and 52, generally in line with channel 36, through which the thread may pass.

As a further phase of my present invention, 1 may provide a fine screw-thread on the outer surface of the tube 28 or at least over so much of the tube as is contacted by the tube-gripping spring-jaws 22 and 23, and I may provide corresponding interrupted screw-threads in the inner tube-engaging surfaces 26 and 25 of the spring-jaws 22 and 23, whereby the tube 28 may be thus additionally anchored between the tubegripping spring-jaws, this engagement augmenting the frictional engagement. With such screwthreads, the upper stop 27 may be eliminated. If desired, instead of using a spiral screw-thread, a series of parallel angular grooves may be provided having similar effect. The depth of these riety of tube stocks but also required a change of carriers and required thatthe carriers be made with differently spaced and differently curved tube-gripping surfaces 25 and 25 in the spring-jaws 22 and 23 thereof.

According to one phase of my present invention, I propose a yarn carrier and yarnpay-out tube 28 having the shank portion 53 thereof gripped or engaged by the tube-gripping surfaces 26 and 25 of the spring -jaws 22 and 23 generally parallel or of the same cross-sectional contour and having only the tip portion at thereof projecting generally beyond the tube-gripping jaws 22 and 23, tapered as indicated in the drawings.

Thus, according to. my present invention, I propose to take only one (or perhaps only two) standard tube stock of a diameter which is suitable for all gauges and then to draw the tip portion t4 down by suitabl swaging operation between rollers or fiat surfaces, between which the tip may be rolled (with the rolling surfaces at suitable inclination to each other so as to draw the tip down into the form shown).

upwardly and inwardly therebut the scuffing or Thus, the

, posed tube-gripping spring-jaws;

ever, the wall thickness of the tube remains generally intact, or at least not materially reduced. Thus, the swaging operation or drawing operation at the tip will not thin the tube wall of the tip, but if anything, will perhaps slightly increase the wall thickness.

By this means, the same carrier can be used for and with tubes of different gauge, by merely replacing the tube 28 in the desired gauge according to yarn.

The tip of the tube 28 may either be at a right angle to the axis of the tube or it may be cut at a suitable angle 45 as indicated in Figures 2, and 11, so as to be generally parallel to the upper edge of the sinkers. somewhat on the angle at which the discharge end of the carrier is disposed.

In using a threaded tube 28 as indicated in Figure 4 and correspondingly threaded tube-gripping surfaces 24 and 25, the adjustment of the discharge point of the carrier in relation to: the sinkers may be adjusted wholly, or in part, by raising or lowering the tube 28 within thetubegripping jaws 22 and 23. Thus, by using threaded tubes or annularly grooved tubes as hereinabove indicated, some or all of the adjustment heretofore obtained at the anchorage end l2 (by loosening the anchorage screws which pass through the holes l3 and then tightening them again) may be eliminated or minimized.

According to another phase of the present invention shown in Figures 20 to 24 inclusive, the

tube 28 is somewhat flattened or of a more or less oval or elliptical cross-section over that partion 43 which is gripped'or held by the carrier; with the major axis of the oval or more or less elliptical cross-section being generally in the plane of the carrier and with the minor axis of said generally oval or elliptical cross-section being generally transversely of the carrier, and

with the tip portion 44 of the tube 28 which extends beyondthe carrier being narrowed to a finer point, either to a round cross-section at the tip or to an elliptical or flattened or more or less oval cross-section of the tip 45, in which latter event the major axis at the tip 45 is 'disposed more or less at a right angle to the major axis of the gripped portion 43 of the tube 28 and with the minor axis of the tip 45 being then likewise disposed more or 'less at a right angle to the minor axis of the gripped portion 43 of the tube This is dependent.

the carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, and a yarn-guide finger generally in the zone of said bend extending across the line of the bifurcation, said yarn-guide finger being disposed intermediate the bifurcations of said yarn carrier.

2. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws; the portion of the carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, and a yarn-guide finger generally in the zone of said bend extending across the line of the bifurcation, and being disposed generally transversely of the carrier and having its anchorage to one side.

3. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws; the portion of the carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, a yarn-guide finger generally in the zone of said bend extending across the line'of the bifurcation, said yamguide finger being disposed intermediate the bifurcations of said yam carrier and being adapted to provide support and control for the yarn without diminution of the spring-action ofsaid spring-jaws, and a key recess above the tube-- gripping portions of said jaws, for receiving a key-like device whereby the jaws may be spread apart slightly when it is desired to insert or remove a tube.

'4. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws; the portion of the carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, and a yarn-guide finger generally in the zone of said bend extending into 7 the 'line of bifurcation, said yarn guide finger By this means, a relatively wide passageway is provided for the thread 81 through the gripped part 43 of the tube 28, while the pay-out portion 44 and tip 45 of the tube 28 is confined to a very small lateral dimension so as to permit a more accurate placement of the thread 31 at the ends of the travel of the carrier, as for instance, in making the selvage and in making the narrowing points.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof,' and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtathe portion of being disposed generally longitudinally of the carrier.

5. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws; the portion ofthe carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, and a yarn-guide finger generally in the zone of said bend extending across the line of the bifurcation, said yarn-guide finger being provided with a thread channel for guiding the thread, said yarn-guide finger being disposed within the opening intermediate said spring-jaws and being detached from at least one of said spring-jaws.

6. A yam-carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form integral, juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws, a thread-guide tube removably gripped between said jaws having a generally uniform cross-section substantially throughout the portion thereof gripped by said jaws and devoid of any upper terminal enlargement and having a tapered portion extending beyond said jaws and terminating in a pay-out end of reduced cross-section; the juxtaposed faces of said tube-gripping jaws being dished out in generally cylindrical formation whereby said juxtaposedfaces are adapted to contact the sides of the thread-guide tube, and a key recess above the tube-gripping portionsof said jaws, for receiving a key-like device whereby the jaws may be spread apart slightly when it is de sired to insert or remove a tube.

contact the sides of the thread-guide tube, a key' recess above the tube-gripping portions of said jaws, for receiving a key-like device whereby the jaws may be spread apart slightly when it is desired to insert or remove a tube, said yarn-carrier being slit longitudinally from said key recess to a point rearwardly of said key recess, to permit said jaws to be spread apart more readily by any suitable key-like jaw-spreading device.

8. A yarn carrier having its discharge end bifurcated generally longitudinally to form juxtaposed tube-gripping spring-jaws, said spring-jaws being transversely tapered with their outer edges thinned to not more than half the thickness of the inner tube-gripping edges thereof, the portion of the carrier including said spring-jaws being bent into a plane different from that in which the rest of the carrier is disposed, and a yarnguide finger disposed intermediate said springjaws and being separated from at least one of said spring-jaws.

ERNEST A. FEUSTEL. 

